1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to earthmoving equipment and, more particularly, to an adjustable protective bit and means for securing said bit in position to protect the leading edges of said equipment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
On earthmoving equipment, such as scrapers, bulldozers, and the like, the metal forming the leading edges of the bowl or blade, or the like, acts as a cutting edge to cleanly part or fracture the soil in a vertical plane down to or close to the level being stripped from the earth by the horizontal cutter blade. The leading edges of the bowl or blade on either side of the horizontal cutter blade are rapidly worn away if they are not protected by a router bit secured to the bowl or blade. Heretofore, several attempts have been made to provide router bits that are effective to protect the edges of the bowl or blade, but in each case there is some deficiency that resulted in the bit being less than what was desired.
For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,038,267, three bits are secured to the edge of the scoop of a bulldozer blade. Once the bits become worn, they must be discarded. The same problem exists in U.S. Pat. No. 3,032,901 wherein bits are provided on the edge of a bowl in a scraper assembly but, once again, when the bits become worn, they must be discarded. In the Gilbertson U.S. Pat. No. 3,088,232, bits or shoes are provided on the scraper bowl but the bits or shoes must be discarded once they are worn. A great step forward was made in the Kimsey et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,831,275 wherein a bit is provided that is reversible so that once the bit wears on one side, it can be turned over for use on the other side but once the two halves are used, the bit must be discarded.